Gyms, fitness centres and other high-intensity, indoor settings remain closed by public health orders from the province. (The Canadian Press)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

WEIGHT WAIT

Orders closing gyms, fitness centres, bars & nightclubs extended indefinitely

Jan 17, 2022 | 3:27 PM

NANAIMO — An order, originally issued as a temporary stop-gap amid rising COVID-19 infections is being extended.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry extended her Dec. 22 health order closing gyms, fitness centres, dance studios, bars and nightclubs was extended on Monday, Jan. 17.

No end date was set in the revised order, which was set to expire Tuesday, Jan. 18. It also requires restaurants, pubs and cafes to limit tables to a maximum of six people.

“B.C. has shown that we are strong, resilient, and supportive of each other,” Dr. Henry said during her Dec. 21 briefing while unveiling the new orders. “But our storm of COVID-19 is not yet over. We are in a different boat, but the consequences of not preparing for what is happening now all around us in our global community is just too great.”

The order also limits attendance to seated events such as sports, concerts and theatre to 50 per cent capacity, regardless the size of the venue.

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Cases of COVID-19, driven largely by the Omicron variant have dropped in B.C. over recent weeks, with Henry herself suggesting the province is on the back side of a fifth wave of infections.

The rolling seven day average for the Island Health authority was 420.1 on Jan. 13, down from a high of 488 just a week prior.

During her Tuesday, Jan. 11 briefing, Dr. Henry said B.C. is tracking in a similar fashion to other regions around the world where Omicron became the dominant strain.

“We look at what we’re seeing in other jurisdictions that have been ahead of us in terms of this wave around Canada and around the world, we may be entering soon into the place where we will see a decline,” Dr. Henry said.

Modeling data presented Friday, Jan. 14 showed B.C.’s rate of hospitalization per 100,000 people was well ahead most other Canadian provinces.

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